It Hurts to Take a Tampon Out

Question: I'm not a huge fan of tampons but I use them whenever I have my period and I want to go swimming. The tampon normally goes in fine, but it always hurts when I take it out. I asked someone and they said I might not have worn it for long enough but I normally have it in for about 4 hours and it ends up getting water in it anyway. So what's the problem?

Dr. Farah Kroman: You're right to remove tampons after 3-4 hours, especially after swimming. Inserting and removing tampons shouldn't hurt. Try relaxing with some deep breathing and use a squat position. If it goes in without pain and you can't feel it when it’s in there, then it is unlikely that there is anything wrong with you.

Question: I have had my period for a while now, and I've been using pads. I've tried using tampons but when i try and use one, it feels like it physically won't go in and when i try really hard it hurts a lot. the applicator ones work but they feel like they aren't inserted properly. Please help, i'm pretty desperate!

Dr. Farah Kroman: Inserting a tampon shouldn’t hurt. It should be very easy. The main things you need to do is get in the right position. Get to know your body. Get a mirror and have a look where the tampon is going to go before you start. Aneasy and convenient position is with one foot on the toilet seat. Wash your hands well then use your index finger to gently push the tampon past your labia (outside folds of the vagina) into your vagina. Push it is as far as it will go- don’t worry, you can’t go too far. Make sure that the strings are hanging out for easy retrieval. When you are done, you shouldn’t be able to feel the tampon. If you do, then you haven’t pushed it in far enough, remove it and start again with a new one. Don’t forget, your pack of tampons will also have usage instructions inside, so have a read of those too. Be sure to change your tampon when it’s full (usually every 3-4 hours depending on your flow) or after a maximum of 8 hours. It would be very unlikely that there is anything wrong with your vagina in terms of its shape or size, but if you are worried, see your GP for an examination and of course RELAX. The muscles of the pelvic floor are very strong, so if you’re not relaxed, it will be very hard to put the tampon in.